Timing performance of a multi-pad PICOSEC-Micromegas detector prototype

TL;DR

This study evaluates a multi-pad PICOSEC-Micromegas detector prototype, demonstrating excellent timing resolution and efficiency, with detailed analysis of uniformity and position-based corrections to optimize performance.

Contribution

The paper presents the first detailed timing performance analysis of a multi-pad PICOSEC-Micromegas detector prototype with position correction techniques.

Findings

Achieves ~25 ps time resolution near pad centers

Time resolution degrades to ~30 ps at pad edges

Position-based corrections improve timing uniformity

Abstract

The multi-pad PICOSEC-Micromegas is an improved detector prototype with a segmented anode, consisting of 19 hexagonal pads. Detailed studies are performed with data collected in a muon beam over four representative pads. We demonstrate that such a device, scalable to a larger area, provides excellent time resolution and detection efficiency. As expected from earlier single-cell device studies, we measure a time resolution of approximately 25 picoseconds for charged particles hitting near the anode pad centers, and up to 30 picoseconds at the pad edges. Here, we study in detail the effect of drift gap thickness non-uniformity on the timing performance and evaluate impact position based corrections to obtain a uniform timing response over the full detector coverage.